“The world has watched with admiration as Tunisia has led the way in the Arab Spring and the path of democratisation. A year ago the people of Tunisia bravely rose up in the name of freedom and dignity against years of autocratic rule. Those freedoms fought for must now be enshrined in the new constitution so that the people of Tunisia can enjoy them for generations to come.”

A new website and social media presence for Iranians has been launched by the Foreign Office today, opening up the opportunity for a dialogue direct with the Iranian people. “UK for Iranians” gives Iranians the opportunity to find out more about the UK and our policies. It aims to provide an accurate and undistorted picture of the UK’s policies towards Iran and the Middle East.

The Queen sent a message to mark Commonwealth Day on 12 March, where she talked about “Connecting Cultures”, this year’s Commonwealth theme:

“One of the great benefits of today’s technology-based world is the range of opportunities it offers to understand and appreciate how others live: we can see, hear and enter into the experience of people in communities and circumstances far removed from our own.”

“The UK has no doubt that the Commonwealth and its networks are a force for good, based on strong values, which can help deliver prosperity and enrich the livelihoods of all Commonwealth citizens and connect our cultures.”